A 24-hour light-dark time-series bulk RNA-seq dataset of the mouse lacrimal gland

The lacrimal gland is a major exocrine organ responsible for tear secretion and is essential for maintaining ocular surface homeostasis. However, time-resolved transcriptomic resources for this tissue remain limited. Here, we generated a bulk RNA-seq time-series dataset from extraorbital lacrimal glands of male C57BL/6J mice maintained under a controlled 12:12 light-dark schedule. Tissue samples were collected at 3-h intervals across a 24-h cycle, yielding eight time points with three biological replicates per time point. Libraries were prepared from total RNA and sequenced as 150-bp paired-end reads. This dataset provides a reusable temporal transcriptomic resource for downstream studies of lacrimal gland biology, ocular surface physiology, and gene-expression dynamics under defined light-dark conditions.