Retinal ganglion neurons are responsible for transmitting visual signals from the eye to the brain through extensions called axons. These axons form the optic nerve.
Whales have very few neurons of this type, which is why we think their vision resolution is very low. Some of these neurons are up to three times larger than those of humans, but they have to send the message almost 100 times farther, several meters.
On the wall is a 2 x 2 meter light box or transilluminator, with a photograph of one of these giant neurons, 100 micrometers in diameter, and the rosary-shaped axons at the base, which are also very thick.
The photograph was selected by the Science and Technology Foundation (FECYT) in the 2022 PHOTOSCIENCE competition.
In one of the frames, these same cells are shown in red with the thioflavin marker. This is a neuron that has accumulated waste substances due to its high metabolism. This accumulation of harmful substances reminds us of the cells affected by Alzheimer's disease.
Blindness from glaucoma is caused by the death of these neurons.
