The part of the cell membrane that can catalyze chemical reactions is primarily the embedded proteins, particularly the enzymes. These proteins, often referred to as integral or membrane-bound enzymes, play a crucial role in various biochemical processes.
Enzymes in the cell membrane can facilitate reactions by lowering the activation energy required for them to occur. This means they can help in speeding up the reactions essential for the cell’s metabolic activities. For instance, some enzymes assist in the breakdown of carbohydrates or the synthesis of important molecules by catalyzing the chemical reactions directly at the site where substrates bind.
In addition to enzymes, other types of proteins such as receptor proteins can also influence chemical reactions in the cell, although they do this more indirectly by triggering signaling cascades within the cell once a specific ligand binds to them.