What is the function of enzymes in biological reactions?

Enzymes play a crucial role in biological reactions by acting as catalysts, which means they accelerate the rate of these reactions without being consumed in the process. This ability to speed up reactions is essential for maintaining the various biological processes necessary for life. For instance, many biochemical reactions would occur too slowly to support life without the presence of enzymes. They lower the activation energy required for a reaction to proceed, allowing it to happen more quickly and efficiently, which is vital for processes such as digestion, metabolism, and DNA replication.

In contrast to the role of enzymes, increasing the temperature of a reaction can speed up reactions, but this approach is not always safe or practical within living organisms. Similarly, while slowing down reactions might sometimes be necessary, it is not a primary function of enzymes. Lastly, changing the pH can affect enzyme activity but is not something enzymes inherently do; they often require specific pH ranges to function optimally. Thus, the primary and defining function of enzymes in biological reactions is to serve as catalysts that speed up these reactions.