Electrical acne: a biological characteristic

An electric eel is a fish that generates a current discharge of 650 V. Such a voltage may well kill a person nearby. Sexually mature eel reaches almost three meters in length, while its thickness is about ten centimeters. Three electrical organs occupy almost 80% of the body of the eel, the remaining 20 occupy other organs that perform vital functions (reproduction, respiration, digestion, etc.).

As a rule, the water where the electric eel inhabits is poor in oxygen, however, it does not bother him. For many millennia of evolution, he learned to breathe O2. Young sea eel can see well, however, over the years, his eyesight deteriorates sharply. It should be noted that the environment where he lives, the eyes do not help much. Acne emits weak electrical impulses (40-50 V), these low-voltage discharges help them find their prey.

Of all the representatives of the fauna, only fish are able to generate the amount of electricity that can paralyze or even kill a person. Special electroorganisms serve as fishes for orientation, defense, hunting and communication. Electric discharges can produce about 250 species of fish, however, only two species of fish (eels and rays) produce a charge of such force that it can kill a person. Electricity arises in the body of all animals, including humans. Electrical pulses are transmitted along nerve fibers to the neurons of the brain, so various signals are transmitted that arise in the body. In the body of eels and rays, so much energy is generated that they are able to use it as a weapon. At the end of the 18th century, scientists established that nerve impulses are of an electrochemical nature. In other words, even in those early years it was proved that the nerve signals - the movement of ions through the membrane of the neurocyte. In a calm state or inactivity, the cells of its membranes have a negative potential (K-ions are deposited inside), and both negative and positive ions (sodium and potassium ions) accumulate from the outside. During the penetration of sodium ions into the cell, the potential changes to a positive one. In the normal state due to the functioning of the "sodium pump" the cell gets rid of sodium ions.

Fish eel adapt well enough to live in captivity, it is a frequent inhabitant of domestic aquariums. Some amateurs demonstrate the unique abilities of the eel with the help of an electric bulb, the wires of which are lowered into the aquarium. Sensing potential prey (small fishes, pieces of food), electric eel begins to generate electrical discharges in the water environment. In order to hear the static noise that occurs as a result of electrical discharges, sound amplifiers are installed on the aquarium. Handling such a pet is a dangerous business.

The unique abilities of eel scientists have been studying for more than a century. During the Second World War, acne was used in experiments to study the effect of nerve gases blocking the transmission of impulses and, thus, capable of disrupting the functional activity of vital organs (heart, lungs, digestive system). Nervous-paralytic gases inhibit the cleavage of acetylcholine (mediator) after it blocks the "sodium pump" of the neuron. As a rule, acetylcholine in the body immediately splits after it fulfills its basic function. The hydrolytic process is controlled by an enzyme (cholinesterase). Just nerve gas blocks the activity of this enzyme.

Electroorganisms of the eel are characterized by a significant content of cholinesterase. Military specialists used electric acne as a source of this enzyme, which was necessary for studying the mechanism of action of nerve gases on the human body.