The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word HOMUNCULI
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
H
O
M
U
N
C
U
L
I
More clues leading to the result HOMUNCULI
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Little people/inoculum" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case little people/inoculum = homunculi.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does HOMUNCULI mean?
HOMUNCULI noun- A miniature man, once imagined by spermists to be present in human sperm.
- The nerve map of the human body that exists on the parietal lobe of the human brain.