A single cell or unit within an electric organ that generates electricity; essentially, a biological battery cell.
From electro- combined with Latin plax meaning plate or flat piece, referring to the flat disc-like shape of these cells when viewed under magnification.
Each electroplax is like a biological transistor—it's a specialized muscle cell that stopped contracting and instead learned to pump ions across its membrane to create voltage, showing how evolution repurposes body parts for completely new jobs.
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