RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Robust nonparametric descriptors for clustering quantification in single-molecule localization microscopy JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 071381 DO 10.1101/071381 A1 Shenghang Jiang A1 Sai Divya Challapalli A1 Yong Wang YR 2016 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2016/08/25/071381.abstract AB We report a robust nonparametric descriptor, J′(r), for quantifying the spatial organization of molecules in singlemolecule localization microscopy. J′(r), based on nearest neighbor distribution functions, does not require any parameter as an input for analyzing point patterns. We show that J′(r) displays a valley shape in the presence of clusters of molecules, and the characteristics of the valley reliably report the clustering features in the data. More importantly, the position of the J′(r) valley (rJ′m) depends exclusively on the density of clustering molecules (ρc). Therefore, it is ideal for direct measurements of clustering density of molecules in single-molecule localization microscopy.