Statistical analysis of intramembranous particles using freeze fracture specimens

We studied the point processes of intramembranous particles of mitochondrial membranes from HeLa cells using the freeze fracture technique. Three groups - under normal conditions, after exposition with rotenone, and after exposition with sodium acid - were compared. First, we used several summary statistics in order to study the two-dimensional point patterns of intramembranous particles within each group. Then, we compared the patterns in different groups by bootstrap tests using the K-function and the nearest neighbour distance function G(r). Estimation of the G-function provided significant results but no significant differences between groups were found using the classical K-function; estimation of G(r) should therefore not be omitted when studying observed planar point patterns.