Magnocellular pathway
 Retinal ganglion cells that project to the magnocellular pathway are called: 

 M 

 Pa 

 y (cat retina) 

 transient 

broadband

Parvocellular pathway
Retinal ganglion cells that project to the parvocellular pathway are called: 
• P 
• Pb 
• x (cat retina) 
• sustained 
• colour-opponent

M ganglion cells in the Retina project to the magnocellular layers of the lateral geniculate body  (first two layers of LGN)

• part of the broad-band channel 
• 10% of total number of ganglion cells 
• large cell bodies 
• extensive dendritic trees 
• thick, rapidly conducting axons 
• axons project primarily to LGN but also to supeiror colliculus 
• larger receptive fields 
• transient response 
• respond only to large targets, particularly moving ones


P ganglion cells in the Retina project to the parvocellular layers of the lateral geniculate body
(last 4 layers of LGN)
 

• part of the colour-opponent channel 
• 80% of total number of ganglion cells 
• medium-size cell bodies 
• small dendritic arbors 
• concentrated in the foveal region of retina 
• axons conduct more slowly 
• axons project only to LGN 
• smaller receptive fields 
• sustained response 
• respond better to small than large targets