Final answer:
Proteins in living cells are crucial for various functions including providing structural support, catalyzing biochemical reactions, and participating in the immune response as antibodies. They are involved in cell communication and transport of substances, demonstrating a wide range of essential roles for life processes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Functions of Proteins in Living Cells
Proteins in living cells perform essential roles that are critical for the functioning and maintenance of life. Structural proteins help cells maintain their shape and form the framework of cellular structures. Proteins such as enzymes act as catalysts to speed up biochemical reactions, enabling metabolism and other vital processes to occur efficiently. Additionally, antibodies are proteins that identify and help to destroy foreign substances such as bacteria, playing a key role in the immune response.
Other proteins are involved in cell communication, often acting as signals or receptors to facilitate the response to various internal and external stimuli. For instance, transport proteins, like hemoglobin, are crucial for carrying vital substances throughout the body, such as oxygen in the blood.
Therefore, the functions of proteins in living cells are diverse, including A) providing structural support, B) helping to destroy foreign substances, and C) speeding up biochemical reactions. These functions are vital for organisms to thrive and adapt to their environments.