How are enzymes primarily defined?

Enzymes are primarily defined as biological catalysts, which means they are substances that speed up chemical reactions in living organisms without being consumed in the process. This catalytic property allows enzymes to facilitate essential biochemical reactions, such as digestion and metabolism, by lowering the activation energy required for these reactions to occur.

Enzymes play a critical role in various physiological processes, enabling reactions to occur under mild conditions, which is essential for sustaining life. Their specificity for particular substrates means that each enzyme is tailored to catalyze specific reactions, making them vital components in biological systems.

While synthetic chemicals may also act as catalysts, they lack the biological context and specificity provided by natural enzymes. Additionally, enzymes do not store genetic information; that function is carried out by nucleic acids like DNA and RNA. Furthermore, providing structural support to cells is the role of proteins such as collagen or cytoskeletal components, not enzymes. Understanding enzymes as biological catalysts is fundamental for studying biochemistry and cellular functions.