A Glimpse into the History of a Cryostat A Cryostat is a versatile and high-quality machine that generates low temperatures for tissue sectioning. The word “Cryostat” originates from two separate Greek words “Kryos”, meaning cold, and “stat”, meaning stable. Sir James Dewar, Scottish Physicist, and Chemist are credited for the use of the very first cryostats in the 19th century.