Methods of detecting the presence or absence of a class of nucleic acid targets in single cells through direct or indirect capture of labels to the nucleic acids are provided, where such labels to the class of nucleic acid targets are indistinguishable from each other. Also described are methods of detecting individual cells, particularly a cell of a specific type from large heterogeneous cell populations, through detection of one or more of nucleic acid targets, where the labels to the one or more of nucleic acid targets are indistinguishable from each other. Related kits are also described.
