Emergence of immunotherapy as a novel way to treat hepatocellular carcinoma

Figure 7 Schematic structure of chimeric antigen receptors. Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) are composed of a single-chain fragment variable (scFv) containing the heavy chain variable (VH) and the light chain variable domain (VL) of a monoclonal antibody. ScFv is attached to a transmembrane (TM) domain and CD3ζ chain in the case of the first-generation CARs. Improved CARs additionally contain one or two more costimulatory domains. VH, heavy chain variable domain; VL, light chain variable domain; TM, transmembrane domain; CO-D, domain derived from co-stimulatory molecules.