To test the role of β-catenin signalling in WIH-A, which was upregulated in the wounds adjacent Lgr5+ HF stem cells in vivo, and demonstrated AKT signalling-dependent upregulation after TNF treatment in vitro, we developed Lgr5-Cre:β-cateninflox/flox mice (P56–63). Here, AKT1 is linked to hydrops fetalis.