Step 10: Memory cell maintenance in the bone marrow Memory cells and long-lived plasma cells are stored in the bone marrow. While memory cells are prepared to reawaken upon re-exposure to the virus, bone marrow plasma cells constantly release trace levels of antibodies to offer baseline protection. Step 11: Thymus involvement in T-cell development By generating and training T cells, the thymus performs a vital role early in life even if it is not directly involved in the response to the virus. This guarantees a broad repertoire of naive T cells that can identify a variety of antigens, including those that were present during the viral infection. in as essay paragraph