Proteins
Definition
Large biomolecules consisting of one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms.
Analogy
Consider proteins as construction workers in your body. Each worker has a specific job - some build structures (structural proteins), some carry materials around (transport proteins), while others act as foremen directing work at the site (enzymes).
Related terms
Enzymes: Proteins that act as biological catalysts. They speed up chemical reactions in the body but aren't consumed by these reactions.
Amino Acids: Organic compounds composed of nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen and oxygen; they're the building blocks that make up proteins.
Polypeptides: Chains formed by linking together multiple amino acids via peptide bonds.
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