Functionnal enzymology - Human enzymes

The concepts of biology and biochemistry presented in this article and in the reviews [PHA 1 510] , [PHA 1 512] and [PHA 1 516] involve many of the enzymes essential to understanding how living organisms function.

After discussing the main families of viral and bacterial enzymes, this article looks at the biological catalysts that drive life in humans, a multi-cellular model taken as an example. The aim is to understand how a eukaryotic cell functions in the midst of 10 ¹³ other cells, prokaryotic cells and even more acellular structures in this type of organism.

The life of a complex multi-cellular organism involves numerous interactions. The first is between the organism and the external environment, via the nervous system, the endocrine system, the reproductive apparatus and the sensory organs. The second is that which takes place at the level of the exchange apparatuses in relation to the cardiovascular system to nourish the body's cells (respiratory and digestive systems) and to eliminate waste (digestive system, urinary system, respiratory system, cutaneous system). The final interactions are those between the eukaryotic cell and the interstitial lymph in which it is immersed, as well as those within the cell itself.

In eukaryotic cells, numerous compartments are organized for specific functions. They therefore have specific enzymatic contents. Just as an apparatus or system has its organs, the eukaryotic cell has its own organelles.

The cells of eukaryotic organisms are therefore highly structured. There are specific compartments dedicated to precise cellular functions, i.e. the unfolding of chemical reactions controlled in space and time.

In this article, the various enzymes presented will be linked to the compartment where they perform their function: the catalyzed chemical...