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Basically the electric organ of eels functions like a battery, but instead of using chemicals it uses nerve cells and the polarization/depolarization across their cell membranes. The organ consists of a stack of thousands of thin, disc-like cells. One side or face of each of these cells receives input from cholinergic neurons. When a different nerve connected to this organ is stimulated by touch, the innervated face of each of the stacked cells depolarizes. However, and this is the key to the whole process, the cell does not generate an action potential like a normal nerve would. Instead it builds up a large electric potential difference between the two sides of the cell (the the extracellular fuids on either side of the cell are isolated from each and so ions cannot flow from one side to the other to eliminate this charge difference). What that means is that the cells has pumped all of a certain kind of positive ions into itself, and then releases it only on one side of the cell, making that side positive and the other side negative. These potentials across each cell in the stack add up into one large electric potential, which is then discharged into the prey.

they are shocking They have three pairs of organs (six total) that act like generators. The cells inside these organs act like tiny batteries and are connected in series. Each row of cells does not interact with the one next to it.

Like this:

O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

The chemistry inside each cell is quite complex, but a voltage difference is produced across each. As more cells are stacked the voltage across the ends grows to as much as 500v. When the eel needs to use this built up electricity a nerve impulse release sodium ions (derived from NaCl salt) which completes the circuit between the cells and releases the electricity. All contracting muscles produce a voltage. Certain sharks can detect prey hidding under the sand by the electric pulses produced by the beating of their hearts. Several species of fish that live in brackish water use electric organs as a means of communication - there being no other means in black water. The electric eel has simply extended this ability to a lethal degree. It is acomplished by having a long column of muscles all lined up so that they contract in unison. Each cell somehow produces 0.15V of electricity, that works together to create an electric charge.

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