He was also responsible for naming the endoplasmic reticulum, conducting work on the 9 + 2 microtubule structure in the axoneme of cilia, and coining the term "microtrabecular lattice."

In collaborations with other scientists, he contributed to the understanding of cellular structures and concepts such as compartmentalization, flagella, centrioles, fibrin, collagen, T-tubules and sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Porter focused his early work in Murphy's lab on the effect of carcinogens on embryonic development of rat embryos.

[3] In conjunction with Joseph Blum, he designed an ultramicrotome section of specific tissue thickness to allow the electron microscope to penetrate these cells.

Porter's research at Harvard concerned the sarcoplasmic reticulum and T system; he conducted this work in collaboration with Clara Franzini-Amstrong.

Porter spearheaded a laboratory dedicated to a higher voltage (1000 kV) electron microscope that improved the ability to examine the interior of cells by virtue of its high penetrating power.

In 1970, together with Albert Claude and George E. Palade, Porter was awarded the Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize from Columbia University.