A method of linearly producing amplicons from one or more cells, comprising the steps of: exposing nucleic acid from the one or more cells to a first plurality of primers and to a polymerase that comprises strand displacement activity, wherein the primers anneal to the nucleic acid and the primers are extended by the polymerase, wherein the primers in the first plurality have the following characteristics: a) 40%-60% G-rich or 40%-60% C-rich; b) comprise a restriction endonuclease site; and c) allow the two ends of a full amplicon to anneal to each other, thereby producing a mixture comprising primer-annealed nucleic acid templates; exposing the primer-annealed nucleic acid templates to two or more of extension, melting, and annealing steps, thereby producing a first mixture of nucleic acid template, linearly produced semi-amplicons, and nonlinearly produced full amplicons; producing, in the absence of a melting step, a second mixture comprising nucleic acid template, linearly produced single-stranded semi-amplicons and looped full amplicons, wherein the looped full amplicons are formed by annealing the two ends of full amplicons; exposing said second mixture to a restriction endonuclease recognizing said restriction endonuclease site and capable of digesting the annealed ends of the looped full amplicons, thereby rendering the digested looped full amplicons unable to be annealed to by the first plurality of primers or a second plurality of primers, wherein the second plurality of primers is 40%-60% G-rich or C-rich; annealing and extension of the first plurality of primers or the second plurality of primers to the mixture, wherein said annealing and extension occurs with no further melting of the nucleic acids; and thereby producing linearly produced full amplicons. exposing nucleic acid from the one or more cells to a first plurality of primers and to a polymerase that comprises strand displacement activity, wherein the primers anneal to the nucleic acid and the primers are extended by the polymerase, wherein the primers in the first plurality have the following characteristics: a) 40%-60% G-rich or 40%-60% C-rich; b) comprise a restriction endonuclease site; and c) allow the two ends of a full amplicon to anneal to each other, a) 40%-60% G-rich or 40%-60% C-rich; b) comprise a restriction endonuclease site; and c) allow the two ends of a full amplicon to anneal to each other, thereby producing a mixture comprising primer-annealed nucleic acid templates; exposing the primer-annealed nucleic acid templates to two or more of extension, melting, and annealing steps, thereby producing a first mixture of nucleic acid template, linearly produced semi-amplicons, and nonlinearly produced full amplicons; producing, in the absence of a melting step, a second mixture comprising nucleic acid template, linearly produced single-stranded semi-amplicons and looped full amplicons, wherein the looped full amplicons are formed by annealing the two ends of full amplicons; exposing said second mixture to a restriction endonuclease recognizing said restriction endonuclease site and capable of digesting the annealed ends of the looped full amplicons, thereby rendering the digested looped full amplicons unable to be annealed to by the first plurality of primers or a second plurality of primers, wherein the second plurality of primers is 40%-60% G-rich or C-rich; annealing and extension of the first plurality of primers or the second plurality of primers to the mixture, wherein said annealing and extension occurs with no further melting of the nucleic acids; and thereby producing linearly produced full amplicons.