Final answer:
Sterilization cannot be done to living organisms because the high temperatures and methods used in sterilization processes damage essential cellular structures, leading to cell death.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of sterilization aims to eliminate all forms of life, including organisms, and is designed for use in environments such as medical and laboratory settings where any presence of microbes could pose a risk. The reason sterilization cannot be performed on living organisms is that it involves methods like exposure to high temperatures, which can damage cellular structures (option c in the question). High temperatures can cause the degradation of enzymes and other vital cellular components, rendering them nonfunctional, and ultimately lead to cell death.
It is worth noting that while some organisms have evolved to withstand extreme conditions -- like certain extremophile archaea -- they are exceptional, and most living organisms cannot withstand the stressful conditions demanded by sterilization processes.