Abstract
The aim of this paper is to apply a non-parametric statistical tool, Ripley's K-function, to analyze the 3-dimensional distribution of pyramidal neurons. Ripley's K-function is a widely used tool in spatial point pattern analysis. There are several approaches in 2D domains in which this function is executed and analyzed. Drawing consistent inferences on the underlying 3D point pattern distributions in various applications is of great importance as the acquisition of 3D biological data now poses lesser of a challenge due to technological progress. As of now, most of the applications of Ripley's K-function in 3D domains do not focus on the phenomenon of edge correction, which is discussed thoroughly in this paper. The main goal is to extend the theoretical and practical utilization of Ripley's K-function and corresponding tests based on bootstrap resampling from 2D to 3D domains.
Highlights
The study of anatomy and its relation to function requires that we can quantify the observed anatomical parameters
Just as we can quantify changes in functional properties such as synaptic strength, the study of neuronal circuits will benefit from quantifications of the topographical organization of neurons. Examples of such anatomical features that have been quantified with regard to the spatial distribution includes the bundling of the apical dendrites from layer 5 pyramidal cells (Skoglund et al, 2004; Vercelli et al, 2004; Krieger et al, 2007), the vertical organization of cell bodies in human cortex (Buxhoeveden et al, 2000), amacrine cells in the retina (Diggle, 1986; Costa et al, 2007), peripheral nerve organization (Prodanov et al, 2007) and the location of ponto-cerebellar neurons (Bjaalie et al, 1991)
The methods used for analyzing the spatial distribution of neurons and their processes must be expanded to 3D space
Summary
The study of anatomy and its relation to function requires that we can quantify the observed anatomical parameters. Just as we can quantify changes in functional properties such as synaptic strength, the study of neuronal circuits will benefit from quantifications of the topographical organization of neurons Examples of such anatomical features that have been quantified with regard to the spatial distribution includes the bundling of the apical dendrites from layer 5 pyramidal cells (Skoglund et al, 2004; Vercelli et al, 2004; Krieger et al, 2007), the vertical organization of cell bodies in human cortex (Buxhoeveden et al, 2000), amacrine cells in the retina (Diggle, 1986; Costa et al, 2007), peripheral nerve organization (Prodanov et al, 2007) and the location of ponto-cerebellar neurons (Bjaalie et al, 1991). The methods used for analyzing the spatial distribution of neurons and their processes must be expanded to 3D space
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