Zoology: How electroejaculation works?

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SUMMARY

Electroejaculation is a technique that stimulates the seminal vesicles through electrical impulses, effectively bypassing natural central nervous system (CNS) triggers for ejaculation. The process involves applying a stimulus voltage that activates nearby nerves, leading to pelvic muscle contractions and ejaculation. The effectiveness of electroejaculation depends on the electrode placement, the size of the targeted cells, and the existing membrane potential. Historical applications, such as using AC shocks on amphioxus to induce gamete release, demonstrate the practical use of this method in zoological studies.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of electroejaculation principles
  • Knowledge of central nervous system (CNS) functions related to ejaculation
  • Familiarity with neurophysiology and muscle contraction mechanisms
  • Basic concepts of electrical stimulation techniques
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the anatomy involved in electroejaculation and its effects on different species
  • Explore the mechanisms of neurotransmitter release during electrical stimulation
  • Investigate the use of AC shocks in inducing gamete release in various aquatic species
  • Study the implications of bypassing neural transmission in reproductive technologies
USEFUL FOR

Zoologists, reproductive biologists, and researchers in neurophysiology will benefit from this discussion, particularly those interested in the applications of electroejaculation in animal breeding and gamete collection.

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The (very small) wiki article says:
"The stimulus voltage stimulates nearby nerves, resulting in contraction of the pelvic muscles and ejaculation."

If that is correct, then the normal triggers for ejaculation in the CNS are being bypassed, but the nerve axons and maybe their endings near the electrode of being stimulated, which would result in neurotransmitter release and the muscle contraction. There is another wikipedia article on ejaculation, which describes CNS areas that could be involved in the process, but it does not go into the anatomical details and mechanics of the process or where the force is developed.

Electrostimulation can stimulate different cells depending on location of the electrodes (how close to different cells), the size of the cells (bigger cells or axons are more strongly stimulated than smaller ones, existing membrane potential vs. membrane voltage needed to produce effect.
Depending on the anatomy, location of electrodes, etc. It might be that the muscles involved are being stimulated directly rather than the nerve endings. This would bypass all neural elements. Blocking neural transmission combined with electrostimulation could provide an answer to this.

I was working on a project once (late 1990's), trying to get amphioxus (an interesting sub-vertebrate chordate) to breed. We would collect them (2-3" long little sliver shaped animals), put them in small plastic cups and give them an AC shock which caused both the males and females to release gametes. It worked if the critters were ready to breed, but no one doing this at the time understood the details of how the stimulation worked. However, the whole animals were being shocked (in groups) so it seems likely that the largest cells (probably the muscles) were being driven by the electricity.
 
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