Outer knee body core, one on hay. side and one on the left, through the tractus opticus, receives the retinal signal influx representing the opposite visual field half (i.e. the nucleus of the hay hemisphere receives the left half of the visual fieldand vice versa).
The nucleus is located posteriorly on the underside of the pulvinar thalamis and is somewhat reminiscent of a hive with its superficial, slightly bulging base directed ventrally. The nucleus consists of 6 layers/laminas tightly packed together neurons. Lamina 1 is located most superficially (most ventrally) and lamina 6 deepest (most dorsally).
Lamina 1 and 2 contain large neurons and form the magnocellular layer of the knee body, which receive signals from the retina's Y-ganglion cells with large reception areas.
Lamina 3,4,5 and 6 contain small neurons and form the parvocellular layer of the knee body which receive signals from the retinal X ganglion cells with small reception areas.
The ganglion cells in the opposite side's inner (nasal) retinahalf signal to lamina 1,4 and 6. The ganglion cells in the outer (temporal) halfof the same side signal to laminas 2,3 and 5.
The nucleus of the lateral knee body is via visual radiationa round-trip connection with the primary visual cortex (BA 17)
Rebecca L. Rockhill, et al. The Diversity of Ganglion Cells in a Mammalian Retina. J.Neurosci. 2002, 22(9):3831–3843