Which cell type has the ability to elongate for movement?

Muscle cells are specialized for contraction and elongation, which is essential for movement. They contain proteins like actin and myosin that interact to produce force. When muscle cells contract, they shorten, and when they relax, they can elongate, contributing to the overall movement of the body. This ability to change shape allows muscle cells to facilitate various types of movement, whether it’s voluntary, like moving an arm, or involuntary, like the beating of the heart.

Epithelial cells primarily serve as protective layers and do not have the specialized structures needed to contract and elongate. Ciliated cells, while they have hair-like structures that can move, do not elongate themselves but rather use cilia to create movement through waving actions. Nerve cells, on the other hand, send and receive signals but do not elongate for movement in the same way muscle cells do.