Cellular manipulation could advance biomedical research, robotic actuation and even the cleaning of industrial surfaces
(PHYSorg.com Chemistry)

Cells in developing tissues respond to local mechanical forces by adjusting their growth, differentiation and migration patterns. Being able to mimic these changes accurately outside the body could lead to a better understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms and create new opportunities for tissue engineering and drug development. Current cell manipulation methods, however, either investigate the behavior of single cells taken out of their natural tissue context, or they deform entire cell sheets without control over individual cells.