Enzymes are not living things but they're important substances found in nature. They're made by living cells. A cell performs many different activities - some molecules joining together and others breaking apart. These activities keep the cell alive and enzymes make these activities possible. In general every cell of living creature produces enzymes.
Two types of enzymes can be found : -
1) enzymes that help join specific molecules together to form new molecules
2) enzymes that help to break specific molecules apart into separate molecules.
In fact, enzymes play many important roles outside the cell as well. One of the best examples of this is the digestive system. Enzymes helps in our digestive system to break food down into small molecules that can be absorbed by the body. Some enzymes in our digestive system break down proteins and others break down fats.
Four things to remember about enzymes
- Enzymes are specific - enzyme that is able to break fat down would not be able to disolve protein or starch.
- Enzymes are catalysts - important to know that one enzyme can perform that same job over and over again
- Enzymes are efficient - not only do enzymes work hard, they also work with blinding speed.
- Enzymes are natural - Like all other proteins, enzymes are organic. Once they've done their job, enzymes break down swiftly and can be absorbed back into nature.
Enzymes in Industry
Enzymes have been used by man from the dawn of civilization. As long as people have been eating bread and cheese and drinking wine and beer - they have been using enzmes. That's because enzymes help to make these products. Other industry eg cheese, detergent.
Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzyme
http://www.tip2000.com/health/enzymes.asp
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