Final answer:
Proteins are crucial for building muscle, maintaining skin, hair, and nails, and transporting oxygen throughout the body. However, cooling the body is not a role that proteins fulfill; this is managed by other physiological processes like sweating and circulation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Proteins serve various essential roles in the human body. The following functions are attributed to proteins:
- Building muscle: Proteins like actin and myosin are critical for muscle contraction and growth.
- Keeping skin, hair, and nails healthy: Structural proteins such as collagen and keratin are key components for the health of these tissues.
- Transporting oxygen throughout the body: Hemoglobin is a protein that binds to oxygen and transports it via the blood to tissues that require it.
However, the role of proteins in cooling the body is not a known function. While proteins are involved in regulating metabolism and bodily responses, the primary physiological mechanisms for body temperature regulation include the circulatory system, sweating, and behavioral responses, rather than the direct action of proteins.