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Why are enzymes important in biological science?

Enzymes are important to living things because they greatly increase the rate at which necessary chemical reactions happen in an organism. Enzymes basically are shaped in such a way that the reactants are put in position to react with each other much more quickly and efficiently than they would if they just randomly bumped into each other in an organism. In general, these are reactions that would indeed happen if the chemicals involved happened to come into contact with each other in exactly the right form; enzymes ensure that these necessary reactions happen, and far more quickly. They are biological catalysts--chemicals that speed up reactions. Enzymes are made of proteins, and are specific for a particular type of reaction. In other words, an enzyme that functions to help break down lipids in an organism would not help to break down proteins. Enzymes are also reusable--after doing their job, whatever that may be, the products leave the enzyme. The enzyme can then repeat its action.

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