title: Analyzing Protein Clusters on the Plasma Membrane: Application of Spatial Statistical Analysis Methods on Super-Resolution Microscopy Images.
abstract: The spatial distribution of proteins within the cell affects their capability to interact with other molecules and directly influences cellular processes and signaling. At the plasma membrane, multiple factors drive protein compartmentalization into specialized functional domains, leading to the formation of clusters in which intermolecule interactions are facilitated. Therefore, quantifying protein distributions is a necessity for understanding their regulation and function. The recent advent of super-resolution microscopy has opened up the possibility of imaging protein distributions at the nanometer scale. In parallel, new spatial analysis methods have been developed to quantify distribution patterns in super-resolution images. In this chapter, we provide an overview of super-resolution microscopy and summarize the factors influencing protein arrangements on the plasma membrane. Finally, we highlight methods for analyzing clusterization of plasma membrane proteins, including examples of their applications.
authors.affiliation: VIB Bio Imaging Core, Herestraat 49, Box 602, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.|Laboratory of Membrane Trafficking, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Box 602, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.|VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Box 602, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Paparelli
authors.affiliation: VIB Bio Imaging Core, Herestraat 49, Box 602, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.|Department of Human Genetics, VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Box 602, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.|VIB, LiMoNe, Herestraat 49, Box 602, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.
authors.forename: Nikky
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Corthout
authors.affiliation: VIB Bio Imaging Core, Herestraat 49, Box 602, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.|Department of Human Genetics, VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Box 602, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pavie
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Membrane Trafficking, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Box 602, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.|VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Box 602, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Annaert
authors.affiliation: VIB Bio Imaging Core, Herestraat 49, Box 602, Leuven, 3000, Belgium. sebastian.munck@cme.vib-kuleuven.be.|Department of Human Genetics, VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Box 602, Leuven, 3000, Belgium. sebastian.munck@cme.vib-kuleuven.be.|VIB, LiMoNe, Herestraat 49, Box 602, Leuven, 3000, Belgium. sebastian.munck@cme.vib-kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Munck
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D054992:Immunological Synapses / Q000648:ultrastructure; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D009474:Neurons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D062211:Spatio-Temporal Analysis; D013569:Synapses / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins