Paracentric and Pericentric Inversion

• Paracentric inversion: The chromosome has two breaks on the same side of the centromere. The intervening segment is inverted (flipped 180^o), and, the overall shape of the chromosome is unchanged.

Figure 1: Paracentric inversion

• Pericentric inversion: The chromosome has breaks at either side of the centromere. The inverted segment includes the centromere and this change the shape of the chromosome and this usually changes the position of the centromere.

Figure 2: Pericentric inversion