The retinohypothalamic tract in the cat: retinal ganglion cell morphology and pattern of projection.

The pattern of retinal projection to the hypothalamus and the morphological properties of the retinal ganglion cells that comprise the retinohypothalamic tract have been examined in the cat. Intraocular injections of horseradish peroxidase revealed a dense retinal projection to the ventral suprachiasmatic nucleus; however, lighter projections were seen in the dorsal suprachiasmatic nucleus, and in hypothalamic regions both dorsal and lateral to the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Intrasuprachiasmatic nucleus injections of horseradish peroxidase retrogradely labelled retinal ganglion cells that were small to medium in soma size. The labelled ganglion cells exhibited long thin dendrites that were sparsely branched. The labelled retinal ganglion cells exhibited a significant change in soma size associated with retinal eccentricity. The morphological characteristics of the ganglion cells that project to the suprachiasmatic nucleus are similar to those of gamma cells.