Why are carbon compounds essential to plant and animal cells?

Carbon compounds are essential to plant and animal cells because of the unique ability of carbon to form stable, extensive networks of covalent bonds with itself and other elements, such as hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.312

This bonding capacity allows for the construction of an infinite variety of complex, three-dimensional molecules that serve as the fundamental building blocks of life. These molecules are organized into four primary families—sugars, amino acids, nucleotides, and fatty acids—which are used to create essential macromolecules like proteins, DNA, RNA, and lipids.31

The enormous potential for chemical variation provided by these carbon-based structures enables cells to perform diverse functions, including catalysis via enzymes, structural support, and the storage of genetic information. Without the versatility of carbon bonding, the complex biological machinery required for cell survival would not be possible.31