How do Pikachu produce electricity?
(This is a photo of my Pikachu, Eggnog, blending in with a bunch of plushies on my bed. Isn't she cute?)
Electric types are my specialty, so I thought a great way to start off this blog would be to get into the anatomy of electric organs in pokemon! It differs depending on the species, but its pretty conserved among electric mice.
Much of Pikachu's body is made up of two dense electric organs in its body cavity. Most of the mass is in the lower half of the body, separated from the organs by a relatively thick layer of insulating fat. This is why Pikachu are heavier than you might expect for their size! These organs are made of layers of thousands of columns of cells called electrocytes arranged in series, with parallel layers separated by thin insulating tissue to prevent short circuiting. This enables them to efficiently build a high amount of current and voltage very quickly. In the chubbier parts of the arms, tail, and insulated from the organs in the rest of the body cavity are thinner layers of electrocytes to maximize electricity generation.
Interestingly, electrocytes are actually a type of modified muscle cell! Each cell is innervated by a nerve terminal where neurotransmitter release triggers an action potential similar to those in muscle cells and neurons.
The electric organs are beneath the muscle layer and separated by another layer of insulation to prevent seizing during the release of electricity. Insulated channels between the muscle layer allows the produced electricity to move past the muscle and escape through the skin. These channels can be opened and closed to direct electricity to different parts of the body for different moves (think Electro Ball!)
Pikachu fur differs from non-electric type furry pokemon in that it's actually composed of a mixture of several metals (primarily copper and zinc) coated in a thin layer of a protein similar to the chitin found in bug types. In this way, the fur acts more to conduct electricity than to insulate the pokemon against temperature loss. This makes temperature control a challenge for Pikachu, but the thick layers of fat insulation, metabolic heat from electricity production, and social huddling helps keep them warm.
You might've noticed that Pikachu's striking red electric sacs in its cheeks are completely hairless. This helps it directly conduct electricity in smaller amounts, like when communicating. These sacs are also the only electricity-generating organs in its head, and are thoroughly insulated to prevent any misfiring to the brain. This has the side effect of making its cheeks extra stretchy and squishy!
These electric sacs also differ from the main electric organs in that they have specialized battery glands that can store even more electricity. When Pikachu is asleep, they're able to "recharge" these glands similar to the process in rechargeable batteries, except with very minimal efficiency loss over its lifespan.
And there you have it! A basic run down of how Pikachu generates electricity. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to let me know! And of course, if you have any corrections, please let me know as well! I'm pretty experienced with electric types but I'm also still just a student. :]