What are muscle cells specialized for?

Muscle cells are specialized for contraction. When muscle cells contract, they create a pulling force that moves parts of the body. There are three types of muscle cell: skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscle cells. Each type has unique features and is specialized to serve different functions in the body. 

• Skeletal muscle cells are specialized for voluntary movements of the body that are under your control. They are cylindrical, striated, multinucleate, and attached to the bones throughout the body with the help of collagen fibers known as tendons.  
• Smooth muscle cells are involuntary in nature and designed to contract persistently, which helps in functions such as digestion and regulation of blood flow throughout the body. They are spindle-shaped, un-striated, and have one centrally-located nucleus. 
• Cardiac muscle cells are involuntary in nature and found only in the heart. They are striated, uninucleate, branched, and have intercalated discs. Cardiac muscle cells are specialized to contract rhythmically, which helps to pump blood throughout the body.