What role do enzymes play in metabolism?

Question

nebi · Answer

Enzymes are chemicals in saliva, or spit, that break down your food so that you can digest it. Without enzymes, you wouldn't be able to digest your food. Enzymes are known as biological catalysts as they lower the energy barrier and so speed up the reaction without being used up in that reaction. Enzymes are made up of proteins and the effectiveness of their actions is changed by changing temperature or pH or by chamicaly changin the molecule. Metabolic pathways are how the body makes many of the things it needs, they involve many breakdowns and rebuilds of substnaced and these changes are made possible because of the presence of enzymes. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_enzymes_and_what_do_they_have_to_do_with_metabolism#ixzz1Zkrm1pxZ

riley · Answer

Thank you so much, that explained it all really well!

nebi · Answer

no problem.

anonymous · Answer

Enzymes are catalysts meaning they speed-up reactions.