In neuroscience, koniocellular cells, also called K-cells, are relatively small neurons located in the koniocellular layer of the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) within the thalamus of primates, including humans. The term 'koniocellular' is derived from Greek konio 'dust, poison'.
Koniocellular layers are located ventral to each parvocellular and magnocellular layer of the LGN. Even if the quantity of neurons is approximately equal to the number of magnocellular cells, the koniocellular layers are much thinner due to their size. In comparison to the parvocellular and magnocellular system, fewer studies have been conducted to investigate the koniocellular system. Koniocellular cells are a heterogeneous population differing in many aspects, such as response properties and connectivity.[1]
- ^ Hendry, Stewart H. C.; Reid, R. Clay (2000). "The koniocellular pathway in primate vision". Annual Review of Neuroscience 23, 131 - 132.