How does the electric eel generates electricity?!

a-condor (62)in #steemstem • 6 years ago

The Electric Eel ( Electrophorus electricus ) regardless of its name, is not a species of eels. It is an electric fish that belongs to the Order - Gymnotiformes also known as Knifefishes. Eels belong to the Order - Anguiliformes.

The electric eel has an elongated, cylindrical body with no scale and can grow up to 2 metres. Their belly colour ranges from yellow to orange while their back is usually dark gray-brown.

Knifefishes are nocturnal fishes capable of producing electric fields mainly for navigation and communications.
However, the electric eel is unique among the Gymnotiformes as it possesses large electric organs that can produce potentially lethal discharges of electricity measuring about 600V for predation and protection from threats. Juveniles produce smaller voltages (about 100 V).

The large electric organs aforementioned are:

the main organ,
the Hunter's organ, and
the Sach's organ.
These organs make up about 80 percent of its entire body, and give the electric eel the ability to generate two types of electric discharges: low voltage and high voltage.
They can vary the intensity of the electric discharge depending on it's purpose. The electric eel uses lower discharges for navigation and communication and higher discharges for stunning prey or defending themselves.

...

How does the electric eel produces such high current?

The electric organs are made up of disc-shaped, electricity-producing cells known as electrocytes.
The electric eel generates large electric currents by way of a highly specialized nervous system that has the capacity to synchronize the activity these electrocytes.

The nervous system does this through a command nucleus, a group of nerve cells that decides when the electric organ will fire. These nerve cells control the function of the electrocytes by regulating the frequency of electrical impulses.
When the command is given, the nerve cells of the command nucleus ensure that the thousands of cells (electrocytes) im the body activate at once, no matter how far they are from the command nucleus.

Each of these cells each acquire a small potential difference of around 0.15 volt by controlling the flow of sodium and potassium ions (charged atoms) across the cell membranes. As they are lined up against one another, a current of ions can flow through them so each one adds to a potential difference.

...

The electric discharge takes place in barely half a second but, it is still very effective for killing a prey and make a predator run for its dear life.
When agitated, they can produce these electric shocks intermittently for at least an hour without tiring.

A single jolt from these creatures could incapacitate a person long enough to cause him or her to drown, even in shallow water. Multiple shocks could cause a person to stop breathing or go into heart failure.

The electric eel does not get electrocuted or affected from its own jolts and there is no proof otherwise.