What role do enzymes play in biological reactions?

Enzymes are biological catalysts that significantly accelerate chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to proceed. Activation energy is the initial energy needed to start a reaction, and by reducing this barrier, enzymes allow reactions to occur more readily and at a faster rate, even at relatively low temperatures. This is crucial in biological systems, where many reactions need to occur efficiently to sustain life.

Enzymes do this by binding to substrates, stabilizing the transition state, and thus decreasing the energy needed to convert substrates into products. This catalytic function is highly specific, meaning each enzyme typically works with a particular substrate or a set of closely related substrates, facilitating precise biochemical reactions critical for metabolism and other cellular processes.