Which cells primarily utilize the Color Opponency theory of color vision?

The Color Opponency theory of color vision is primarily associated with ganglion cells. This theory posits that color perception is controlled by opponents, where certain colors are processed in opposition to one another. For example, the pairs of colors (red-green and blue-yellow) work against each other in the way visual information is transmitted to the brain.

Ganglion cells play a crucial role in this process. They receive input from bipolar cells, which process signals from photoreceptor cells like cones and rods. However, it is specifically the ganglion cells that integrate these signals and respond to changes in color, thus allowing color opponency to manifest. The center-surround organization of ganglion cells allows for this opposing response pattern, leading to enhanced color discrimination.

In contrast, cones are the photoreceptors that detect color but do not themselves utilize the color opponency mechanism. Instead, they provide the raw data on color that ganglion cells then process. Bipolar cells, while important for transmitting and modifying signals from the cones to the ganglion cells, do not have the final integrated opponent processing that defines color opponency. Rods are primarily involved in low-light vision and do not contribute to color perception, as they do not have the sensitivity to color that