How do electric eels generate and control their electrical discharge?

[wasteofo2]

I'm really curious how electric eels can shock things and the mechanism behind it. How do they build up the charge they use? How do they controll when it's released? Can they control in what direction it's released? Where is it released from? Why doesn't it harm them at all?

Thanks for satisfying my curiosity,
Jacob

 

[NateTG]

http://soma.npa.uiuc.edu/labs/nelson/electric_fish.html
https://www.physicsforums.com/editpost.php?do=editpost&p=278149


Seems quite informative. Of course, I'm sure you can use Google too.