What cells in the optic nerve respond individually to lines of a certain length, angle, or direction for visual perception?

Feature detectors are specialized neurons in the visual cortex that respond to specific features of visual stimuli, such as lines of particular lengths, angles, or orientations. These cells enable us to decipher complex visual information by processing distinct elements of a scene, which is essential for recognizing shapes, patterns, and movement.

Unlike cones, which are photoreceptor cells in the retina responsible for color vision and function best in bright light, feature detectors operate at the level of the brain where visual information is interpreted. Photoreceptors, including rods and cones, detect light but do not analyze visual stimuli in terms of orientation or complexity. Similarly, while optic neurons are involved in transmitting visual information from the retina to the brain, they do not specifically respond to the angles or directions of lines. This specificity in processing lines and angles is what characterizes feature detectors, making them integral to visual perception.