Final answer:
When a pericentric inversion occurs in one homologous chromosome during meiosis, it results in an inversion heterozygote. One homolog forms a loop and the other molds around it to ensure correct gene alignment. A single crossover event within a heterozygous pericentric inversion can create recombinant chromosomes with new combinations of genes.
Step-by-step explanation:
When one homologous chromosome undergoes a pericentric inversion, but the other does not, it results in an inversion heterozygote. During meiosis, in order to maintain point-for-point synapsis, one homolog forms a loop and the other homolog molds around it. This allows the genes to correctly align, but it can also lead to regions of imprecise synapsis and stretching of the homologs. A single crossover event within a heterozygous pericentric inversion can create recombinant chromosomes with a combination of maternal and paternal genes that did not exist before the crossover.