sensory, contractility

Sensory: Many of the more complex sensory receptors of the nervous system are derived from specialized epithelia called neuroepithelia (e.g., the rods and cones of the retina, olfactory receptors of the nose, taste receptors on the tongue, etc.). Sensory receptors function by converting mechanical, chemical, or electromagnetic signals from the environment into nerve impulses which can be processed by the nervous system.

Contractility: Some very specialized epithelial cells (myoepithelia) contain the contractile proteins myosin and actin similar to muscle. Myoepithelia are associated with the ducts of sweat, salivary, lacrimal, and mammary glands and assist in the secretory process.