We demonstrated that (i) in humans, TROP-2 is expressed in cholangiocytes and HPCs during liver disease and can be used to isolate human HPCs; (ii) TROP-2+ and EpCAM+ HPC populations from ASH livers have very similar transcriptome profiles; (iii) unbiased analysis of the transcriptome data identified novel pathways involved in cellular communication between the HPCs and its niche. The gene discussed is EPCAM; the disease is liver disorder.